Eva Vamberger interview

Eva Vamberger is a goalkeeper from Slovenia. So far, she has played for clubs in her country, as well as Austria and Spain. She has also represented her country in the past. I interviewed Vamberger earlier this week.

Denis Knezovic: How did you get to playing soccer?

Eva Vamberger: I started playing because of a friend. We were running around and playing different sports. At some point, he wanted to play soccer and we were playing it together every day. Soon, he started to train at a club and I went with him and started to play in the same team.

D.K.: How old were you then?

Eva Vamberger: I first started to play when I was 5, but I started to play in a team when I was 7.

D.K.: When did you start playing in a girls’ team?

Eva Vamberger: I played my first game for a girls’ team when I was 13, but I was playing for girls’ and boys’ teams until I was 16.

D.K.: Why do you play keeper? Some people say keepers are crazy, is it true?

Eva Vamberger: When we were playing with this friend, we were shooting all the time between two trees, that were our goal. It was boring only shooting and then running to pick up the balls, so one of us had to be in goal. First, each of us were in goal for half of the time, then he didn’t want to do it anymore so I had to be. I was good and I liked it so I stayed there. Yes, goalkeepers have to be a little crazy, because goalkeeper is a special position and the goalkeepers need to do crazy things, but we like it.

D.K.: You played for clubs in Slovenia, Austria and Spain. Can you say more about each club and the experience?

Eva Vamberger: I was playing with boys in NK Sava Kranj until I was 16 and I will never forget that experience because I learned everything there and all the time until now, when I am at home I am training with them. My first girls team was NK Velesovo, but I was playing with them. Then I went to ZNK Jevnica where I was also training with them and I loved this team because girls were really nice with me and were helping me a lot. Then I went to play in Austria where I was improving and learning a lot and I was able to play international soccer. Then I went back to Slovenia to ZNK Olimpija where we won Slovenian championship. Then I went to Spain, to Sporting Club de Huelva, where I was introduced to professional soccer for the first time. It was a huge experience and I just loved it and I am hoping to come back to Spain as soon as possible because I really like the country.

D.K.: Why did you leave Spain and do you have a new club?

Eva Vamberger : I left Spain because I wasn’t playing. I enjoyed and loved the experience and the people but playing was more important. I have a new club already, I will play in Slovenia, in ZNK Maribor.

D.K.: What was it like to play for your country?

E.V.: It is one of the best feelings. One represents the whole country and all the girls that are playing and training every day. I was able to experience that in the U17, U19 and the senior national team and I hope I will be able to do it again.

D.K.: What other dreams do you have in your career? What was your biggest soccer success so far?

E.V.: My dream is to come back and play in Spain again, and then to play in Germany one day. My biggest success was playing for the senior national team and going to play in Spain.

D.K: Anything you want to add that we didn’t talk about?

E.V.: I think that the most important thing in soccer and for all soccer players is, that they love the game. When you enjoy playing and running with the ball, you become successful. Love for the game can take you a long way.